1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of packaging products, and more particularly to a method and system for multi-product packaging, such as packaging plural information handling systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Large customers often purchase information handling systems in bulk to obtain price discounts and help ensure consistent configurations. Server purchases are also often made in groups with a given number of servers purchased to fill a server rack. Customers who purchase information handling systems in groups typically prefer to have the information handling systems packaged and delivered in groups, as opposed to individual packaging, since multiple system packaging tends to reduce the amount of packaging material used and the amount of floor space taken up by the packaged systems. Further, customers generally find it more convenient to receive related orders in a single package.
One difficulty with multi-system packaging is that a greater variety of packaging materials is generally needed to support packaging of different numbers of products, resulting in greater use of factory floor space to store the packaging materials. Another difficulty is that automated packaging systems are typically designed for use with single-product packaging and are not easily adapted to multi-system packaging. For instance, single-product packaging of information handling systems is often supported by automated equipment, such as vacu-hoists, that aid in lifting and placing information handling systems in a horizontal orientation within a package. In contrast, multi-system packaging typically involves placing information handling systems into a package with a vertical orientation that is less amenable to the use of automated packaging aids.